Nozzles or jets for rotary sprinklers



United States This invention relates to improvements in nozzles or jetsfor rotary sprinklers of the kind wherein the sprinkler arms are rotateddue to reactionary forces arising from the issue of water from thenozzles.

The general object of the invention is to provide improved nozzles orjets which are of simple construction, and due to the small number ofmoving parts are long lasting and reliable. A further object is that ofenabling the rotational speed of the spray arms to be infinitely variedbetween zero and a maximum by a simple adjustment to the nozzles or jetsthereon.

Yet another object is to provide "the above mentioned features in theimproved nozzles or jets while still retaining an excellent distributionof the outlet water.

These and other features will become more readily apparent as thedescription proceeds further.

More especially the invention provides for a ball element to beassociated with the outlet passage of a nozzle for reciprocal movementinto and out of the water stream in the outlet passage during operationof the sprinkler, so as to enhance dispersion of the water, createreactional driving force of a pulsating nature which ensures efiectiverotation of the sprinkler arm or arms and sets up vibrations tending tokeep the interior of the nozzle free from grit and other foreign matter.

The invention will now be fully described and explained with reference-to the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional elevation of a sprinkler head assembly accordingto the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional elevation of a nozzle as seen in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a plan of the nozzle seen in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a pant sectional elevation of a modified driving nozzle;

FIGURE 5 is a plan of the nozzle seen in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a part sectional elevation of a driving nozzle similar tothat in FIGURES 2 and 3 but incorporating an adjusting device.

Referring to the drawings, FIGURE 1 illustrates a rotary sprinkler headconstruction suitable for use with the nozzles or jets which form thesubject of this invention. This sprinkler head consists firstly of astationary member 2, having a tubular upper portion 3 and preferablyterminating at its lower end in an enlarged internally threaded nutportion 4, for ready engagement with a water supply pipe.

The rotary mounting of the sprinkler head assembly comprises firstly amember 6 of tubular form having an inturned flange at its lower end. Theupper end of member 6 has a threaded connection for attachment to thelower portion 7c of the composite, somewhat Y shaped, tubular member 7,the outer extremities of the arms 7a and 7b of this member forming theattachment points for the nozzles 8 and 9.

Within the recess defined by the lower portion 70 of member 7, the innersurface of member 6, and the outer surface of the tubular portion 3 ofstationary member, is located the bearing and seal assembly for thesprinkler head.

This assembly consists primarily of upper and lower thrust bearing rings13 and 14 respectively, both preferably composed of an organic materialsuch as nylon, the upper thrust bearing :13 being a relatively tight fiton the atent ice upper portion 3 of the stationary member 2 and retainedfrom upward movement thereon by a circlip 16. The lower thrust bearing14 is preferably accommodated within a groove in a washer-like metalmember 12 which rests on a further washer-like member 10 composed ofrubber or similar resilient material which in turn is supported by theinturned flange on the member 6.

In addition to the foregoing, a sealing element 17 composed of felt orother usual sealing material is incorporated above the bearing assembly,between the rotary element 7, and the stationary element 2, in order topre vent as far as possible the entry of grit or other foreign matterinto the bearing assembly.

The sprinkler head assembly in FIGURE 1 is shown fitted on one arm witha conventional plain nozzle 9 and on the other a driving nozzle 8-constructed in accordance with the invention. This arrangement may ofcourse be varied when necessary to suit particular applications, forexample, driving nozzles or jets could be used on both arms of thesprinkler head, or alternatively the sprinkler head could incorporatethree or more arms with corresponding variations in the combination ofnozzles used.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 to 6 the improved nozzle 8 consists firstlyof a body piece 21, preferably cylindrical, and having at one end asuitable means of attachment to a sprinkler arm, for example, a reducedexternal- =ly screw threaded portion 22 adapted to engage in a similarbut internally screw threaded end of the tubular sprinkler arm. The saidbody piece has a hole therethrough, preferably axial which may be termedthe primary passage P.

The diameter of the primary passage at the end of the body piece whichis attached to the sprinkler arm, is preferably larger than the diameterat the outer end, with the said two diameters connected by a tapered orsomewhat venturi formation 23. From the small diameter portion of theprimary passage there extends, substantially at or near a right anglethereto, another passage which may be termed the secondary passage 24.The secondary passage may be diverted at the outlet end to direct thewater issuing therefrom in the direction of the main jet emerging fromthe primary passage.

Contained within the secondary passage 24 is a spherical ball 26 ofsmaller diameter than the secondary passage, but preferably of largerdiameter than the primary passage P. This ball is free to oscillatealong the secondary passage into and out of the water stream flowingthrough the primary passage.

With the nozzle in operation, the high velocity stream of water flowingthrough the primary passage creates a low pressure area at the mouth ofthe secondary passage. The suction clue to this low pressure area drawsthe ball partially out of the secondary passage to project into thewater stream in the primary passage. When this takes place, the pressureof the water in the primary passage again forces the ball back along thesecondary passage whereupon the process is repeated.

The resulting oscillation of the ball in and out of the water stream inthe primary passage causes the jet of water emerging from the nozzle toboth deviate from the direction of the axis of the primary passage andto have a fluctuating velocity. These characteristics result in thefeatures of this construction as regards, pulsating reactional drivingforce, water distribution, and ease of adjusting the rotational speed ofsprinkler arms. As regards the latter feature it can be readilyappreciated that since the oscillating ball causes the jet of wateremerging from the nozzle to be diverted through an angle from the axisof the primary passage and hence from the axis of the sprinkler arm, allthat is necessary to vary the horizontal angular deviation of the waterjet from the axis of 3 the sprinkler arm is to rotate the nozzle aboutthe axis of the sprinkler arm. When this is done, the horizontalcomponent of velocity of the water jet and consequently the reactionaldriving force causing rotation of the sprinkler arm, is varied, whichresults in a change in rotational speed of the said sprinkler arm.

The maximum rotational speed is obtained when the nozzle is turned sothat the water jet has a maximum horizontal angular deviation from theaxis of the sprinkler arm. By turning the nozzle through ninety degreesin either direction from this position the horizontal angular deviationfrom the axis of the sprinkler arm and hence the speed of rotation ofthe said sprinkler arm, will be zero. Rotating the nozzle through afurther ninety degrees in the same direction as the first will result inthe sprinkler arm again having maximum rotational speed, but in thereverse direction.

The secondary passage of FIGURES 2 and 3 is shown open at its top bymeans of a vertical slot 24a and is closed at its outer end by a plateor like closure 27',

According to FIGURES 4 and 5, the secondary passage is only partlyclosed at its top, a gap 24b leading upwardly from the outer end of thepassage.

In order to vary the stroke or permissible movement of the reciprocalball 26 in the secondary chamber, an adjusting screw 28 may be provided,and as will be apparent the action and effect of the reciprocating ballmay be infinitely adjusted.

Any suitable material may be used in the manufacture of these nozzlesand their component parts, for example, metal or organic materials suchas nylon, and due to the simplicity of construction and the few movingparts involved, these nozzles are reliable and long lasting.

I claim:

1. An improved outlet nozzle for attachment near the outer end of asprinkler arm associated with a rotary sprinkler rotatable about an axisof rotation, the issuance of water from said outlet nozzle providing theforce necessary to revolve said arm about the axis of rotation, saidoutlet nozzle comprising a body portion having a primary outlet passageextending substantially axially therethrough and serving to direct themain outlet water stream, a secondary outlet passage extendingsubstantially at right angles to said primary passage and communicatingat one end with the primary passage, said secondary passage having aball element therein freely reciprocable therealong under the action ofthe water stream in the primary passage so as to periodically enter, atleast partially, the primary passage and the issuing water stream andthereby enhance dispersion of the Water, create reactional driving forceof a pulsating nature which ensures effective rotation of the sprinklerarm and set up vibra-- tions tending to keep the interior of the nozzlefree from grit and other foreign matter.

2. An improved outlet nozzle as claimed in claim 1 and wherein saidsecondary passage and said ball element are of larger diameter than saidprimary passage at its junction with said secondary passage.

3. An improved outlet nozzle as claimed in claim 1 and wherein said bodyportion has a side face and an outer end face, the primary passagehaving its outlet at said end face and the secondary passage terminatingat said side face, and a plate positioned over the opening in said sideface closing off the outer end of said secondary passage, said bodyportion having a slot therein of width less than the diameter of thesecondary passage extending from said secondary passage to said end facein the direction of the primary passage, and from said primary passageto said side face in the direction of the secondary passage.

4. An improved outlet nozzle as claimed in claim 1 and wherein said bodyportion has a side face and an outer end face, the primary passagehaving its outlet at said end face and the secondary passage extendingto said side face, a plate over and closing the opening in said sideface, an opening being formed adjacent said plate and extending from thesecondary passage to said outer end face.

5. An improved outlet nozzle as claimed in claim 1 and means for varyingthe permissible reciprocal movement of the ball along the secondarypassage.

6. An improved nozzle as claimed in claim 3 and means to vary thepermissible reciprocal movement of the ball along the secondary passage,said means comprising a screw which extends through the plate over theouter end of said secondary passage.

7. An improved nozzle as claimed in claim 1 and wherein the outer endportion of said primary passage is cylindrical in shape and of uniformdiameter and the inner end portion is of somewhat venturi or conicalform, progressively increasing in diameter from its junction with saidouter end portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,791,222 Orr Feb. 3, 1931 2,086,515 Evans July 6, 1937 2,090,406Thompson Aug. 17, 1937

